Method of and means for packaging merchandise for shipment



septn 411,v 192s. D. NELSON METHOD 0F AND EANS FOR ACKGING MERCHANDISE' FOR SHIPMENT Filed April e, 1925 s shets-snaet' 2 l sep*- 11, 1929 1,683,843 l D. NELSON MEIHOD OF AND MEANS FOR PACKAGING MERCHANDISEFOR SHIPMENT Filed April 6, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 a [MMIII Imis A in! f lllllllll n .ZZZ 3 .fwn/'fr j Danzel Misch,

Patented Sept. ll, 41928.

UNITED ,sTAr-ES DANIEL NELSON, yQF OAK PARK, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNDR TO .MABSHLIIL kIANY, O F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

y 1,683,843 P arr-13N ori-Fics.

METHOD OFVAND MEANS vrFOR PACKAGING MERCHANDISE FOR :SHIPMIil'LA kApplication ined Aprii e, 1925. seriai No. 20,926.

This invention relates to a package of merchandise constructed to protect the merchandise from injury, resulting from external shock during shipment; also to an envelopeconstructed for use inV producing such a package ot merchandise.

.One object of the invention is to provide a package of merchandise which, while embodied in a substantially rectangular `or plinth-like form insured againstdeformation `that would endanger the .contents of the package, and comprising in its organi- Zation a substantial mass of cushioning material for absorbing shocks received in transportation, can, nevertheless, be produced very inexpensively, both as to time consumed and materials employed; and to this end one feature of the invention consists in a package of merchandise comprising, in addition tothearticle enclosed, a mass of packing niaterial of known quality, for instance, excelsior, or equivalent packing material in tibrous form, molded to substantially rectangular formV and capable rof retaining substantially such form, and a conforming envelope of relatively7 light flexible material such, for instance, as tough paper, having inherent tensile strength, and closely conforming to and =closed into tensional sustaining relation with said mass of packing material.

Another obj ect of the invention is to provide a new construction of paper envelope which may be used with peculiar advantage in forming the package of merchandise described, and to Vthis end another feature Aof the invention resides in an envelope having a closed quadrilateral bottom and walls upstanding perpendicular@7 from said bottoni, integral at theirmeeting edges through a substantial portion of ,their vertical dimension, but slit or severed through the upper portion of said dimensionand for a'sutlicient distance to provide closing flaps toldable upon the respective upstanding walls., at ditfeient levels determined by the vertical dimension of the molded packingmass to .bef

enclosed, and adapted to lie horizontally across the top of the molded mass ot' packing and to be drawn .together and united in a manner to hold the oppositeV sides of the envelope against spreading. For securing the o )positely folding and individually movab e flaps, under tension, they are pref' erabl securedfone to another through means of adiesive applied in a convenient manner? and -the securing of one pair of oppositely hinging flaps may also be made the means pif holding together the other pair of suoli aps.

Preferably, the package will be .formed through the aid of a molding frame within which the .envelope snugly lits; .the separation ot the folding fiaps at their margins, co-

inciding with corners of thel bag, will be con-` tinued downward to at least the upper margin of the molding Atrame; and the molding traine will be used to gage tlie volume of4 packing material molded within it and, likewise, define the lines upon which the flaps are folded. v i i In the accompanying drawings, in which thepreferreddetails of ,the invention are shown by way `ot illustrationf Figure l is a perspective view showing a packers bench witha supply of envelopes, a packing trame containing a bottom block, and a supply of packing material.

l. l' a portion of one of the envelopes of Figure l in partially open condition.

Figure 3 is aview showing envelope in l completely openedV position.

Figure t is a perspective View illustrating,

Figure 2is a fragmentary view showingU Figure 6 is a view .of a knock-down packing frame vin collapsed coiiditiongand L. i Figure 7 is a perspective view showing `a modified construction of envelope.

fied form ot' packing frame.

Figure S isa perspective view of a modi- Figure 9 is a perspective view showing a filled and partially [closed envelope with modi'tied forni of sealing flaps.

Figures 10 andl are detail views showing one construction of securing staple for the packing frame; and

F ignre l2 is a view partly in side elevation .and partly in sectionshowi-ng a modified construction of staple, together with its f attaching base and a portion of a hasp intended to :be used in connection therewith.`

Referring to VFigure .1, A represents a packing ,ti-aine B a stack' et envelopesnit'Or 'use within suc., fia.i"ne,'mid it simply of packingy material of known kind, for instance, excelsior or equivalent packing material in tibi-ous form for use in lining and filling a packageof merchandise. Frame consists preferably of sides 1, 2, 3 and 4,

'with hinging connection between at least two sides,for instance, the sides 2 and 3, although two of the other corners are preferably also ofhinging construction, for instance, as shown at 6, where the sides 1 and 2 meet, and at' 7 where the sides 3 and 4 meet; and the fourth corner S involves in its construction some suitable form ot releasable connection, for instance, a hasp and staple connection. If the frame is made of metal as shown, the haspV may take the form of a projection 9, integral with the side l, and adaptedito lap over the adjacent end `ot' the side `4, said projection having ar slot adapted "to receive the staple 1l after the manner of a hasp and thereby hold the packing frame in service osition while leaving ,the connection rear ily releasable for opening up Vthe frame when the package is completed. The hinged corners of the frame A are preferably also provided with justifying stops'p12, :13 and 14, each made to projectrigidly from one wall, for instance by bending up a part of, the wall material, in position to receive abutment `of the other wallinvolved in the hinge connection, and thereby cause the walls' to assume rectangular relation when the framey is set np.` An equivalent result can be obtained in frames made of wood, such as shown in Figure 8, or other material ofsubstantial thickness by causin the end oit each side, properly square to abut against the face of the adjacent side to which it is hinged. The effeet in either caseis tolestablish abutment between the end ot' one of the hinged members and ak face of the other hinged member.

LEach envelope B comprises a bottom 14 and sides 15, 16, 17, and 18 united therewith, aswell as 4with one another, in a manner to provide, when the envelope is distended, live sides of a rectangular closure, the sixth side of which is left open for receiving the merchandise and packing materia-l, but adapted to be closed by means of flaps 19, 20,21., and 22 projecting from the upper margins of said sides. Asv originally supplied, the `envelopes will be folded in a manner to render them convenient for opening and distention, as, fory instance, by folding the 'sides in the manner usual in supplying paper bags in collapsed "form, and assuggestedin Figure 2. The frame A, havingbeen set up vas suggested in Figure 4," and being selected from' a supply of such frameset different sizes in order to conform substantially indimensions with the ,envelopey that is being used, the envelope is introduced within the frame,- as shown in Figure 4, and the packing and merchandise are introduced and solidly pressed into the space defined by the envelope, but sustained by the rigid packing frame, the packing being, ofcourse, disposed in a manner to thoroughly protect the merchandise, and the flaps 19, V2d, 21, and 22, one or more ot' which may he gummed on their margins, for instance, as suggested by the flap22, to the flap which immediately` underlies it; also, it desired, `by causing hold-` down tabs 22, proxf'ided on one of the side fiaps, for instance the flap 22 as shown in Figure 4, or upon both ofthe side flaps 20", 22", as shown-in Figure 9, to adhere to the ends of the envelope, the hasp-latch 10, 11, being in the meantime released and the packing trame opened sutiiciently to admit the said end tabs. Sealing tabs 22n may or may not beineorporated in the form of the envelope.` When used, they may be included in the construction of the flaps without waste of material by appropriately cutting the en# velope blank and leavingnotches in the end of the flaps 19 and 2l (Figure 4) or 19.,`21J (Figure 9). In leaving tabs 22 on both the side flaps as shown in Figure 9, the end flaps ,19", 21 will be left with projections 19", 21c

presented toward each other when the flaps are folded over the contents, and thus at ford convenient means for preliminarily securing the end flaps, as, fo r instance. by adhering a strip 21d of glue lpaper thereon after which the flaps 20",22b can he closet. and sealed'in the manner described.

In order to adapt the trame il to give shape to packages of different vertical dimension, any one of a series of blocks similar to the block 23 (Figure 1) may he introduced into the frame to constitute a false bottom therefor. lVhile but one ot'` these blocks is shown, it is to be understood that ay plu-y rality of the same will be conveniently available to be introduced, selectively, into the situation referred to, and for the pur ose stated. ,While the flaps 19, 20, 21, an 22 are shown as being ot definite width and extending from envelope side walls of detinite height, which may bring the hinging line of the flaps at a level above the upper margin of the side walls 7 of the packing frame A, especially "when a filling block is introduced to vary the depth of the frame, it is to be understood that the folding line of the flaps can readily be re-established to coincide with the vertical dimension of the package,v gauged by the frame, by merely tearing the flaps down at theeorncr edges until the tearing is arrested by the rounding ofthe flap over the edge of the frame. Similarly, it the separation of the corner edges of the side walls in reducing the yflaps leaves the integrity of t ie sidewalls ending ltlll lll) at a lower level than the sides of theframe, the sustaining relation of the side walls ofthe frame to the sides of the envelope will nevertheless establish a folding line for the fiaps at the packing level defined by the depth of the packing space within the frame.

According to the construction of packing frame A illustrated, the staple 11 `can be conveniently provided on a base 12e (Figure 10) or on the end wall 4 of the frame (F igures 1 and 6) by stamping from the metal of the base or wall a T-shaped tongue, the head 11a of which, by the upward arching of the staple 11, is brought into bridging relation with the narrow portion of the resultant slot 11b, and there secured in any suitable way that will maintain the vform of the staple. Preferably, this will be done by passing the ends of the T-head 11a throng slots 11d in the base or wall from which the staple is stamped, and clinching said ends in said slots; the slots being'made of sufv fcient length to permit slight movement of the T-head in orderV to develop a resilient leg 11c of the staple that will yield in forcring the hasp to or from its seat; said resilient leg 11c being preferably formed with a slight recess 11e into which the end wall of the slot of the hasp 9 (Figures 1 and 6) and 9a (Figures 8 and 12) will snap, for instance, as illustrated in the modified construction of staple shown in Figure 12, thereby securing the hasp releasably in enf gagement with the staple; According to the modification shown in Figure 12, the staple 11", conveniently made from rolled rod or stock, has one leg lixedly riveted at 11y in the base plate 12e', while its other leg is rmly anchored against Withdrawal, but with limited movement in the base plate, by passing said leg through the slot 12r of the plate 128, and providing said leg with a head 11z that prevents withdrawal of the leg from the slot; one leg of the staple being thus rendered resilient to the hasp snapping over it; and said resilient leg being provided with the recess 11e for the purpose of releasably retaining the hasp. Also, with all of the corners Vhinged as described, the packing frame A is adapted to be collapsed into the condition shown in Figure 6 in order to render it more convenient for storage where a plurality of frames of different dimensions are to be kept within selective reach of the operator.

If desired, instead of using flaps 19, 20, 21, and 22 as the closing means for the envelope, the envelope may bein the form shown in Figure 7 ,where the closingmeans consists of a YWall extension 24 gathered upon the upper portion of the bag by'a reverse fold, after the manner of a cuff, so as to avoid hindrance Of the packing operation,

and presenting the edge for convenient closing a paper bag, and which may, of course, be secured 1n any approved known manner.

' From the foregoing description it will be 1 seen that a package which ultimately relies iipon a light and cheap outer jacket or envelope of paperor other suitable material, can be packed with the same effectiveness and with the same security as in avboX made l of wood or other rigid material, opportunity being thus afforded for building an effective protection around the merchandise in the form of a solid mass which resists external forces. It is possible to rely on ysuch a thin,

'cheap enveloping means for the reason that stresses imposed upon the envelope are mainly in the direction of tension.

1. A shipping package comprising an envelope of flexible material which oers -substantially no resistance to forces imparted transversely thereto, an article of merchandise within the same, and molded packing material supporting and positioning the article within the envelope; said packing ma-` terial consisting of a Inoldable mass of resilient sub-divided material molded in situ to conform tothe space between the Wallsof the envelope and the enclosed article and to provide a package having a predetermined regular outer surface and standing under initial compression, and the envelope having continuous closed walls, maintaining the form and compression in the molded packing material and standing under tension induced by the expansive force of the molded packing material. y

2. A shipping package comprising an envelope of flexible material which offers sub* stantially no resistance to forces imparted transversely thereto, an article of merchandise within said envelope and molded packing material located between the walls of the envelope and said article; said envelope comprising integral bottom and side walls and sealed flaps constituting a topwall, the packing material consisting of a moldable mass of' resilient subdivided material molded in situ to conform to the space between thc walls of the envelopeand the enclosed article and to provide arpackage having a predetermined regular outer `surface and standing under initial compression, and the walls of' the envelope standing under tension induced by the expansive force of the molded packingmaterial. c

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 4th day of April, 1925. i Y

DANIEL NnLsoN.

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